The present invention relates to processes and apparatus for applying discreet wings to traveling webs as the absorbent articles are oriented transverse to the machine direction.
Generally, the absorbent articles have a long dimension and a short dimension, whereby the articles are oriented along an assembly line with the long dimension in line with the machine direction. As the articles are longer than they are wide, this orientation requires more assembly line space in the machine direction per processed article. The industry could benefit from an alternative approach that would reduce the amount of assembly line space required in the machine direction per processed article to increase the number of articles processed over the same distance traveled through the assembly line, as well as speed.
In prior art sanitary napkin production, right and left wings are often formed of backsheet material, and the right and left wings are folded over the topsheet material and secured to one another for folding and packaging. One example of a prior art sanitary napkin is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,011. In that patent, a sanitary napkin is shown having flaps placed in a folded disposition prior to use. The flaps are formed of the backsheet material, and the flaps are unitary and coextensive on the product with the backsheet material, so that the backsheet material is folded about side edges of the product to present the flaps for usage and application to an undergarment. A bridge tape extending between the folded over flaps retains the flaps in their folded configuration until use, at which point the bridge tape is removed, exposing adhesive for releasably affixing the sanitary napkin to the undergarment of a wearer.
In the prior art, again as demonstrated by U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,011, absorbent cores are placed on a chassis web with the longer dimension of the core processed and placed onto the chassis web in a machine direction orientation (see, e.g., FIG. 6, U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,011).